The Sangamon Mass Transit District Board of Trustees just took a major step toward a new off-street transfer hub — and landed a big land deal to make it happen.
The board heard how SMTD secured a parcel for the permanent secondary hub using a mix of state and federal grants plus a substantial in-kind land donation that cut the purchase price by hundreds of thousands of dollars. There’s talk of the appraisal process, regulatory sign-offs from FTA and IDOT, and why this site works better than the current on-street Junction Circle setup.
Then the focus shifts to how to actually pay to build it. SMTD is seeking $7.5 million in new IDOT capital funds: more money to cover higher construction costs for the hub (including an access road) and $500,000 for architecture and engineering for upgrades like a new employee parking lot, lobby and dispatch remodels, and bus stop improvements — with no local tax dollars required as match.
If you ride SMTD — or care how transit investments get pieced together — this one’s worth a watch.
